


Cards on the Table

by mitana



Series: Stay in the Car Chronicles [6]
Category: Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Genre: Declarations Of Love, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:29:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29151255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mitana/pseuds/mitana
Summary: After years of dancing around it, Lee and Amanda finally confess their feelings to each other.
Relationships: Amanda King/Lee Stetson
Series: Stay in the Car Chronicles [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2137956
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	Cards on the Table

**Author's Note:**

> This one-shot is set at the beginning of February 1986, during The Triumvirate. I’ve been taking the names of my stories from lines of the songs they were inspired by; when I was trying to decide which line to use for this one, I realized that Francine asks Amanda if she wants to play Hearts when she gets to the Cumberland, and I knew that ‘Cards on the Table’ had to be the name of the chapter.

_Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King is not mine, unfortunately, and no copyright infringement is intended. Some dialogue is taken from the episode The Triumvirate, written by Robert Bielak._

* * *

Amanda hung up the phone and sighed. She had explained to her mother about the termites and the house being tented, and luckily, she was distracted long enough with thoughts of going to Aunt Edna’s that Amanda avoided the topic of where _she_ was staying. At least for now. She should probably come up with a story for later; undoubtedly, her mother’s curiosity was only temporarily stalled.

Lee sat on the back of the couch and faced her. “Look, it’s going to be alright.” He patted her hand.

“Is it?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, boy. Don’t you ever get tired of this?”

“Comes with the territory.”

“No, that’s what I mean. Don’t you ever get tired of the territory? I mean, lately I feel like I can’t even make any plans in advance anymore. I missed Philip’s play when he was Rumpelstiltskin, and it looks like I may even miss Jamie’s first Open House at school.”

He nodded in understanding, then reached out and grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze. “Yeah, I hear ya. This job has cost me my share of relationships, that’s for sure.”

“Why do you keep doing it?”

“’It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.’” He gave a little laugh, shaking his head.

“Come on, I’m trying to be serious.”

“Well, I guess I am, too. It _is_ a job someone _has_ to do. I happen to do it well. There’s parts of it I don’t like.” He shrugged, then met her eyes. “And parts I like a lot.”

She looked down, then looked up again when he asked, “Well, what about you? I mean, there are a lot of other part-time jobs that pay a lot more than this and are a hell of a lot less dangerous.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I guess I have some kind of an idea about making the world a safer place for Philip and Jamie. It’s really pretty silly, isn’t it?”

“No.”

She looked up. 

“No, it isn’t. That’s why we are stuck with _this_.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” She smiled at him, then took a deep breath and let it out. “I need to think of what to tell my mother about where I’m staying tonight. She’s going to ask; I just know it.”

He slid off the back of the couch and walked around it, sitting down on the cushion beside her.

Reaching out and holding her hand again, he said, “Well, you could stay close to the truth and tell her that IFF was paying for you to stay at a hotel; maybe say that you were out of town on a shoot and the filming ran late…”

She lifted up his hand and kissed the back of his knuckles, then placed their joined hands in her lap.

“I suppose, though I usually tell her that I’m going to be out of town; she’ll wonder why I didn’t let her know beforehand or pack a bag.”

He picked up their joined hands and turned hers over; he placed his lips on the inside of her wrist, slowly placing several soft, sensuous kisses on her tender skin.

She sighed at the warmth of his lips on her skin.

He pressed the back of her hand against his cheek, then placed their two hands in his lap. “You could tell her we were working late at my place and you crashed on my couch.”

Her cheeks flushed a light pink, and she shook her head. “She’d never believe that.”

“Why not?”

The pink of her cheeks grew darker. “Because if I had the time to plan for them to go somewhere, I’d have the time to plan ahead for me, too.” She looked down at her lap. “If I said I was at your place, she’d never believe I’d be sleeping on the couch, knowing how I feel about you.”

He went very still, then reached out with one hand and placed it on her cheek, his thumb caressing the side of her lip; he nudged her head up so she was looking in his eyes. His voice emerged in a low whisper. “And how is that?”

She covered the hand on her cheek with her own and smiled at him, her eyes clear and bright. “I’m completely in love with you.”

He inhaled quickly, his eyes accumulating a wet sheen. “Oh, Amanda.” He brought his other hand up to cup her other cheek. “I’m in love with you, too.”

They leaned in and their lips met in a long, slow, seductive kiss. It only ended when they both started getting uncomfortable with their positions on the couch, though their retreat from each other was interrupted by the sprinkling of shorter kisses on their cheeks and jaws as they pulled away.

Lee grasped both of Amanda’s hands and stood up, pulling her with him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and met her eyes. “I’ve wanted to tell you for so long. I—I just—The last person I thought I loved turned out to be—” He broke off, unable to complete the sentence.

“I know, Lee. I know.” She reached up and pulled his head down so she could kiss him, a soothing, loving kiss like nothing he’d ever felt before. It was soft, and safe, and solid; it was a foundation, and a revelation, and a promise.

She gently pulled back and smiled at him. “I’ve been in love with you for a long time.” She touched his cheek. “I probably should have told you before now. But I needed to know that you were ready to hear it, first.” 

He stared into her eyes and nodded. He could understand her hesitance if she thought he wasn’t one hundred percent committed to them.

“But after all this time, and getting to know the boys and my mother, and then, well, Birchwood…”

“Birchwood?”

She nodded. “You said it was the future, if we were lucky. And the look you gave me…” She closed her eyes for a moment, remembering the warm gaze he’d turned on her. Opening her eyes again, she added, “And look at all the trouble you’ve gone through to help me figure out this whole check thing.”

He sighed. “Amanda, this is hardly just a favor to you. It involves the Agency and stopping some vigilante justice being done on our dime.”

She shook her head. “You didn’t know that when you started helping me.”

Shrugging, he leaned forward and gave her a peck on the lips. “When you’re unhappy, I’m unhappy. I’d do anything in my power to help you.”

She smiled again. “And that’s why I decided to tell you tonight how I feel. That I love you. That I’m _in love_ with you.”

He pulled her closer to him, tucking her head under his chin. “Oh, Amanda. I love you with everything that is in me.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”

Amanda breathed him in, listening to his voice as it rumbled through his chest. When he stopped talking, she could hear his heartbeat beneath her ear. She squeezed him tight as she responded.

“I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, either,” she admitted, pulling back to look in his eyes.

His eyebrows furrowed. “But you _married_ Joe…”

She nodded. “I did. At the time, I thought… Well, we were young, and had a lot of enthusiasm and optimism, but… It turns out that enthusiasm and optimism can only get you so far. And I did love him. A part of me still does. But looking back on it now, I think we were destined to just be friends.”

She leaned toward him and he bent down to meet her lips.

“I wouldn’t change my relationship with Joe if I could, because I have two wonderful sons as a result. I also learned a lot about myself, going through the situation we did. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I hadn’t gone through that.” She paused, thinking about what she had just said. “Actually, I wouldn’t have been the person I was two and a half _years_ ago if I hadn’t gone through that.”

She went up on her tiptoes to kiss him again. 

“That’s when _you_ became part of the story.”

“Amanda—”

She placed her index finger across his lips. “Shh. I’m trying to explain.”

He took a deep breath, kissed her finger, and nodded. She removed her finger from his lips.

“I became a better, stronger version of myself when Joe _left_. But for the last almost two and a half years, I’ve become even better and stronger, and that’s because I’ve been _with_ you.”

She reached up and placed her hand on his cheek. Looking into his eyes, she finished her argument. “You trust me, you count on me, you believe in me, and you allow me to be myself without expectations or limitations. I hope I do the same for you.”

He nodded solemnly. “You do.”

“Until I could be my true self, I couldn't have loved anyone with a whole heart. That’s how I know that I’ve never loved anyone like I love you.”

He leaned down and took her lips in a passionate kiss.

“You are the only person who has ever taken the time to see the real me, Amanda. I’m a better person because of you.” He met her eyes again. “We are partners, in every sense of the word.”

The corners of her eyes crinkled as she grinned suggestively. ”Well, not _every_ sense of the word. _Yet_.”

He smiled, his voice dropping to a sexy purr. “True. Not yet.”

They moved together, lips first caressing, then becoming more passionate. 

Finally, Lee pulled away, breathing hard. His eyes blazed with desire, but then dimmed with regret. “Amanda. We can’t let this go any further. I’m supposed to be protecting you, and I can’t let myself get distracted.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “Your safety is—"

The knock on the door startled them, and they pulled abruptly apart. Amanda sat quickly down on the couch and Lee moved toward the door. 

He cautiously opened it, then let Francine in. “Hi, come on in. What are you doing here? You’re not expected ‘til morning.”

“Didn’t Billy call?”

“No, why?”

“Oh, well, the phone must be acting up. I had a really bad connection, too. He wants us to trade shifts. Needs you back at the Agency.”

Lee looked at Amanda, then back at Francine. “Hmm. That’s odd. He say why?”

“Like I said, I really couldn’t hear him, but he wants you back there, ASAP.”

Lee looked concerned. “The recognition codes were in order…?”

Francine nodded. “Yeah.”

He looked at Amanda. “Hmm. Well, I guess I’d better go.” His eyes lingered on her face, expressing his regret and love.

“Yeah.” She gave him a resigned smile.

“You be sure to lock up after me, okay?”

“Yeah,” confirmed Francine, though he was still looking at Amanda.

He grabbed his jacket off the chair.

“And, uh—See you later.” He opened the door and gave Amanda one last glance before leaving.

“Goodnight,” Amanda called as Francine shut the door.

Francine locked the door and slid the chain into position, then walked over to sit down next to Amanda. “Well, well, well, isn’t this _quaint and cozy_?”

Amanda looked up at her, trying not to roll her eyes at Francine being so… _Francine_.

“Wanna play Hearts?”

Amanda picked up the magazine she had noticed earlier, shaking her head. _No, Francine, I already put all my cards on the table._

**SMK**

“Wow, Mom, you can still smell that termite gas upstairs.” Philip and Jamie came into the kitchen, interrupting her discussion with her mother about the class reunion.

“Sweetheart, I’m sure that’s just your imagination. It’s had plenty of time to air out. Don’t worry about it.” She continued to hold the dress against herself, trying to decide if she really wanted to go to the reunion.

“Hey, Mom, where’d you get the ancient threads?” Philip looked at the dress with disdain.

Amanda looked at her mother as if to say “See?”

“Garage sale?” Jamie wondered.

Amanda took a breath to answer, but was stopped by the ringing of the doorbell.

She went to the door and opened it, still holding the dress.

“Hey, baby, what’s happenin’?” Lee stood at the door, grinning, and dressed in a sixties getup of his own.

She opened the door wider, letting him in. “Where’d you get the ancient threads?”

“The—” Lee gave her a look and shook his head, following her into the kitchen.

“Hey, Lee!” “Hi, Lee!” The boys looked happy to see him.

Philip glanced back and forth between Lee and Amanda, then turned back to his mother. “Seriously, what’s up with the ancient threads?”

“You guys going to a costume party or something?” asked Jamie.

Dotty peered at Lee, then gave her daughter a raised-eyebrow look.

Lee turned his grin on Amanda. “I heard through the grapevine that you just might need an escort to your evening.”

“Oh, no, I’m not going to go.”

“And why not?”

“I’m not going to—”

“Amanda, come on.”

“I don’t like the dress.”

He grabbed her arms, pulling her to him in a quick hug. “Let’s go. We’ll make the perfect couple.”

She looked at him, considering. 

“Lee’s right, you should go,” inserted Dotty. 

“Yeah, Mom, go!” added Jamie.

She looked at all of them, finally ending with her eyes on Lee. He raised one eyebrow, grinning.

“Oh, alright,” she gave in. It _would_ be a lot more fun with Lee there. And if it was boring or awkward, then they could just go somewhere else together.

“Alright, Mom!” Philip cheered. 

Dotty shooed Amanda toward the stairs. “Well, go get changed.”

“Oh, Amanda!” Lee called.

She turned back to him, and he pulled an envelope from his pocket. “I brought this for you.”

“My check! Thank you.” She took it and gave him a smile, then turned toward the stairs.

As she disappeared, Lee turned toward the boys.

Jamie gave him a high five, followed by Philip. 

“Alright, boys, time to do your homework. Let’s go!” Dotty urged them to go to their room. They grabbed their snacks and made their way to the stairs. 

“Bye, Lee!” they both called. “Have fun!” added Philip.

Dotty watched as they left the room, then turned to Lee.

“Thanks for the phone call, Dotty. I knew her reunion was coming up, but I didn’t realize it was tonight.”

She gave her daughter’s charming boyfriend a conspiratorial smile. “You got here at just the right moment. I was having a hard time convincing her to go on my own.”

He leaned in and kissed Dotty’s cheek.

She brought her hand to her cheek. “What was that for?”

He smiled affectionately at her, shrugging. “Just because.”

Her eyes softened, and she smiled back at him. “Thank you. I don’t receive too many kisses from handsome young men these days.”

She stepped closer to him and gave him a hug, and he wrapped his arms around her, surprised but delighted.

After a moment, she stepped back. 

“What was that for?” he asked, repeating her question from earlier.

“Because I don’t get to hug many handsome young men anymore.” She gave him a shrewd look. “And because you love my daughter.”

He took a deep breath and smiled contentedly at her. “I do.”

“You should tell her.”

“I did.”

Her eyes started to fill with tears of happiness and her hand covered her heart, speechless.

They heard footsteps on the stairs, and they both turned expectantly to the doorway.

As Amanda appeared, she noted the tableau and stopped, puzzled and a bit suspicious. “Everything alright?”

“Of course, darling, everything is wonderful!” She grabbed Lee’s arm and dragged him over to Amanda, then put a hand on each of them and pushed them toward the door. “Now you two just go have a marvelous time, and I won’t wait up.”

She gave Amanda a kiss on her cheek, then turned and did the same to Lee. Stepping back, she clasped her hands in front of her chest and looked expectantly at them, waiting for them to leave.

With a mischievous grin, Lee pulled Amanda to him and gave her a long kiss.

As they separated, Amanda sighed. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Lee said in a low tone.

Suddenly remembering they had an audience, Amanda turned to her mother, cheeks flushing.

Her position was much the same as it had been when Amanda had first come downstairs, only this time, both hands were pressed against her heart.

Suddenly, she moved toward the couple again, wrapped one arm around each of them, and gave them a hug together. As she stepped back, she waved her hands at them. “Alright, you two lovebirds, you have a reunion to go to.”

Amanda gave her mother a brilliant smile, then looked at Lee, who returned the look with a loving smile of his own. He nodded at Dotty, then opened the door and escorted Amanda out.

Dotty stared at the door as it closed behind them, bringing her clasped hands up under her chin. “It’s about time!”

* * *

**_ All of Me _ ** _by John Stephens and Tobias Gad, performed by John Legend_

_What would I do without your smart mouth?_

_Drawing me in, and you kicking me out_

_You've got my head spinning, no kidding, I can't pin you down_

_What's going on in that beautiful mind?_

_I'm on your magical mystery ride_

_And I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, but I'll be alright_

_My head's under water_

_But I'm breathing fine_

_You're crazy and I'm out of my mind_

_'Cause all of me_

_Loves all of you_

_Love your curves and all your edges_

_All your perfect imperfections_

_Give your all to me_

_I'll give my all to you_

_You're my end and my beginning_

_Even when I lose I'm winning_

_'Cause I give you all of me_

_And you give me all of you, oh-oh_

_How many times do I have to tell you?_

_Even when you're crying, you're beautiful too_

_The world is beating you down, I'm around through every mood_

_You're my downfall, you're my muse_

_My worst distraction, my rhythm and blues_

_I can't stop singing, it's ringing, in my head for you_

_My head's under water_

_But I'm breathing fine_

_You're crazy and I'm out of my mind_

_'Cause all of me_

_Loves all of you_

_Love your curves and all your edges_

_All your perfect imperfections_

_Give your all to me_

_I'll give my all to you_

_You're my end and my beginning_

_Even when I lose I'm winning_

_'Cause I give you all of me_

_And you give me all of you, oh-oh_

_Give me all of you, oh_

_Cards on the table, we're both showing hearts_

_Risking it all, though it's hard_

_'Cause all of me_

_Loves all of you_

_Love your curves and all your edges_

_All your perfect imperfections_

_Give your all to me_

_I'll give my all to you_

_You're my end and my beginning_

_Even when I lose I'm winning_

_'Cause I give you all of me_

_And you give me all of you_

_I give you all of me_

_And you give me all of you, oh-oh_


End file.
